How I met the Genius, Billionaire, Playboy
by bangbangbangitybang
Summary: AU. Steve Rogers is a discharged army captain down on his luck. Living in his friends' apartment and unemployed isn't ideal. However, his small world is suddenly lurched around when Bruce brings a new face dressed in couture to their usual bar. StevexTony. Rated T for language, implied smut,
1. Chapter 1

It had been a really long plane ride.

That's why Steve could do nothing but feel his entire body tense up before he was barreled over by a blond giant.

"STEVEN. I HAVE MISSED YOU MOST ARDENTLY."

"I knew he was harboring homosexual feelings," He heard Clint mumble. Natasha elbowed him in the side.

Since Thor had his arms wrapped around him like he was tree trunk, Steve couldn't do anything but prop his chin on his friend's shoulder. "Good to see you too," He wheezed.

Finally releasing the slightly shorter blond, Thor held Steve at arm's length, grin widening.

"Let us celebrate your return with jest and mead!"

"… It's eleven in the morning."

The Scandinavian man shrugged. "It's happy hour somewhere."

The other people in the airport eyed their strange group. Between the large Thor who really did _believe_ he was the god of thunder, a stone faced red head, and a smirking brunette who looked like he would mock you just to see you cry, Steve had to admit that they were quite the site.

"It really is good to have you home," Natasha said as she gave Steve a brief hug. For her to even admit out loud that she missed him was the Natasha equivalent of sobbing and kissing.

"Thanks," Clint pat Steve on the shoulder, smiling. "And thanks for letting me stay with you guys until I get back on my feet."

"Don't mention it, Steve. I'd rather have you stay with us then be somewhere by yourself."

The soldier nodded, one hand fiddling with the strap of his carry on. It felt great to be home, but it also felt like an alien planet. For the last two years he'd been in some desert being shot at and trying to avoid being blown to bits. Now there were people annoyed at the crying children in the airport, or someone irate that their flight had been delayed for an hour. Steve couldn't even grasp it.

Natasha must have noticed his fidgeting. "You're probably exhausted, let's get out of here,"

"Yeah,"

〖 〗

His friends had the collective emotional health of a cactus.

While Steve wasn't too eager to discuss his feelings, the _attempt_ by his group would have been appreciated. Thor was the typical jock so any feelings past sex, food, and sleep were not prioritized, Natasha considered 'love' appropriate only for children, and Clint… well, Steve wasn't sure eighty percent of the time what Clint was thinking, but he never said.

Therefore, they only had one social lubricant to deal with Steve readjusting to civilian life.

"THIS NEW MEAD, I LIKE IT. ANOTHER."

Steve was still nursing his first glass. Using alcohol to cope with PTSD just didn't seem like a good idea to him. Luckily, he did have _one_ person to help him deal with his stress.

"Thor, what did we talk about?"

Only Bruce could reduce Thor to a state of a meowing kitten. "'My inside voice'…"

"Yes, are we inside?"

"Yes…"

"So…?"

"I must use 'my inside voice' while indoors."

"Good job," Bruce flung a hot wing at him.

Steve grinned at Thor's pout. He and Bruce sat at one side of their usual booth with Natasha and Clint on the other. Thor sat in a chair in the aisle, generally making it impossible for anyone to walk by him. The bar was pretty packed, that's shouldn't have been surprising since it was a Friday night. Steve's heart was beating a mile a minute, he wanted to do nothing but stand up and run out of this crowded place as fast as he could.

"How do you deal with all of this?" He asked the manic plagued Bruce in a low voice.

The others didn't hear. Clint and Natasha were preoccupied watching Thor trying to out-drink the guy from two tables away. The bar was loud with cheering girls and whooping guys.

"Just breathe,"

Steve stared at him, feeling his gut twist in anticipation for a panic attack. "That's not new,"

"It works, trust me." Steve couldn't help but notice how regulated Bruce's breathing was. Sitting smushed next to him in the booth he could practically feel the even, deep breaths.

Thor plopped back into his seat, wiping at his mouth. "What a weak little creature, to challenge me!"

When Steve met Thor six years ago, he hadn't been sure the guy was messing with him or being serious. However, once the large blond persistently continued to talk to him, Steve realized that this guy was completely serious. They had all speculated at just _how_ he could really believe he was a Nordic god.

"His parents dropped him too many times," Natasha said.

"Delusions," Bruce theorized.

"I don't think he's ever completely sober and this is his drunken alter-ego," was Clint's award winning idea.

Steve had a feeling it was a little of all three. Whatever the reason, the big idiot had grown on them. He was strange and loud, but he was harmless. Clint had been his freshmen roommate in college, and the two had been friends ever since. Natasha had gone to the same college; she was studying abroad from Russia. However, her second day in New York she had applied for citizenship and hadn't left ever since.

It had also taken Steve six months to realize they were dating. They really had never _said _that they were, it just kind of happened. Steve imagined it went something like this:

_Clint and Natasha were sitting in their dorm room, talking about weapons or whatever got them off. _

_Clint: "We should date."_

_Natasha: "Whatever," _

They were an odd couple. The only time Steve had ever seen them hold hands and kiss was when both of them were completely trashed on tequila at that Fourth of July party when they were twenty three.

And then there was Bruce. Steve had first met him in this very bar. It was last call, and Steve had been deep in his cups. Stumbling out of the bar, he was fumbling with his keys and trying to remember just where those stairs up to his apartment went when he heard some scuffling. Slowly making his way to the alley between his apartment building and the bar, he saw Bruce was surrounded by three guys.

"You won't like me when I'm angry," was all he heard before the three lunged at him.

Now, Steve was a helpful guy. If he ever saw such an unfair fight he would jump in immediately and help even if he was on the wrong side. He never was a fan of bullies. However, his motor skills had degenerated to that of a newborn, so all he could do was lean against the wall and offer mental moral support. However, Bruce didn't need him.

In less than two minutes he had beaten the three guys to unconsciousness. Steve stared at him in awe.

"How'd you do that?" He slurred.

Bruce had shrugged. "I warned them not to make me angry."

God, they were_ odd_.

〖 〗

That night, Steve lay in bed, staring unblinkingly up at his dark ceiling. The noise of the city was a dull hum for him at this point. He had grown up here and was used to it, but it was golden silence compared to Iraq.

He couldn't sleep.

When he closed his eyes all he could see was sand shooting up from an explosion, hear the ringing of gun shots in his ears, feel sweat dripping down the back of his neck in the sun and the fear he felt as he held one of his dying friends.

Glancing to his nightstand, he could see the outline of her face in the dark, the red lips and the pale skin.

"I miss you,"

It had been four years, two months, and six days since Peggy had died. Steve wasn't sure he was ever really going to get over her.

〖 〗

"Steven, I have decided to be what your people call 'wing man.'"

The army captain groaned.

"Indeed!" Thor clapped him once on the shoulder as they walked the streets of Manhattan. "You see, I am quite gifted at assisting those who are struggling with women-"

"Thor, _no-_"

"Be silent, my friend! Your 'wing man' shall remedy all!"

"I'm not ready," Steve said in an uncharacteristically low voice.

Thor frowned to himself. Personally, he felt that what Natasha called 'the mourning period' was over. While all of them had been deeply upset by Peggy's untimely death, Steve had been inconsolable. However, Thor felt that he had recovered quite well at this point. He was laughing and smiling again.

It must be his stress to readjusting to life in New York. Thor made it his personal mission to get Steve to have fun.

"Peggy would be very displeased to see you so sad, Steven."

His companion stiffened. "I just- I can't. I'm not ready, OK?"

"Steven-"

"Can we just drop it please?"

Thor was prepared to everything but 'drop it,' but he just couldn't quite bring himself to make that long expression on his friend's face longer. He really should be more equipped to handle these crippling emotions after dealing with his little brother. However all he found himself able to do was give his friend's shoulder a reassuring squeeze.

"Only if you promise me that you'll try to be happy,"

"… I can only promise to try."

〖 〗

"What the-?"

It had been four months since Steve had been honorably discharged and sent home. He had left that morning to take his monthly pension check to the bank and deposit it and when he returned to Clint and Natasha's apartment he found the owners gathered in tight circle in the living room.

"This is an intervention," Clint answered bluntly.

Natasha sent him a look. "You're supposed to ease him into it."

Clint merely shrugged as if he had stayed up all night agonizing over how to answer that question and that was the only logical way to 'ease him into it'. Bruce leaned against the wall, arms crossed over his chest and appearing deceptively calm. Thor swaggered out of the kitchen with a six pack. Natasha stared at it as if she could make it spontaneously combust.

"What is that?"

Thor shrugged and smiled. "Everything's better with beer,"

Steve rubbed at his temples. "Guys, what are you doing?"

"It's an intervention," Natasha replied.

"Oh, so when he directs the question at _you_ then it's alright for a blunt answer," Clint grumbled at his girlfriend.

"Not the time," Natasha hissed before turning back to Steve. "This is an intervention for your ego."

Was he still on Earth?

"It's really hard to be here for you Steve when you won't let us," She elaborated.

_Breathe_, that's what Bruce said to do. _Breathe_,

"You can't deal with this by sitting alone in the apartment all day," Clint added on. "It's not going to help."

"Indeed. Wallowing is not the answer, Steven."

Bruce didn't say anything.

Steve clenched his jaw, he could feel his teeth grinding together and he tried to keep his emotions packed deep down in his chest. Breathe. In and out, in and out…

"You're still alive, Steve, we can get through this."

"No, I can't," He finally ground out, hands balling into fists.

The others exchanged worried glances. "Steve, you're alive, even if bad things have happened at least you have that."

Steve chucked darkly. "'At least I have that'? What _do_ I have, Natasha? I've been diagnosed with PTSD, oh and therapy isn't really helping by the way. I've been discharged because the explosion that got me sent home is also the same explosion which left my leg no longer fully functioning. The only place I've ever really wanted to be in and the only place I really felt like I _belonged_ doesn't want me anymore. I'm unemployed, because let's be honest, who wants to hire a crippled ex-army captain suffering from flashbacks? The love of my life is dead from a car wreck. But, thank God that I'm at least still _breathing_!"

Steve stopped to take a breath, looking at each of his friends intently, waiting for an answer. Waiting for what the right thing to do was.

Natasha looked chocked up in her own way, Clint was staring at his feet, Thor fiddled with a bottle of beer in his hands and Bruce just stared at Steve.

"Don't tell me it's going to be OK," Steve said in a low voice. "It's not going to be OK, everything that made my life worth anything, made me _me_, is gone. Everything horrible that could possibly happen to me _has_. And you all need to find a way to handle it better because I get to handle it however I want."

Steve let the words hang in the air for a moment before grabbing his jacket and walking out of the apartment. He felt like he was suffocating, and no matter how deeply he gasped for air it didn't seem like enough.

He shouldn't be so mad at his friends; he knew they were just trying to help because they cared about him but _Christ_-

It was hard for him to admit that he was struggling because he had _always_ struggled, it wasn't a novel idea. Nor was he normally this emotionally selfish and self-centered, but he couldn't push through that glass ceiling of grief to care.

His friends all seemed to have their lives finally falling into the right places while his was blown to bits.

Steve didn't go back to the apartment that night.

He came back early in the morning, the sun had only been up for a few minutes. The sound of his key turning in the deadbolt soundly unnecessarily loud and he winced. After sitting alone at a greasy spoon of a diner, the captain had felt quite ashamed of his behavior. He had snubbed the gesture of his friends, two of whom had offered to allow him to live with them until he got better and had done so without complaint.

How could he say that he didn't have anything? He had _them_.

Steve was surprised to find Clint sitting on the couch.

"Hey,"

It's not like Steve jumped or anything.

"H-Hey…"

An awkward silence fell between the two friends, and Steve twirled his keys in his hands. Clint's arms rested against his knees, and the brunette was looking at his friend speculatively. Steve kept his eyes glued to his loafers as if they were the most fascinating things in the world.

"Just answer me one thing,"

"Hm?"

Clint didn't blink. "Why are you so eager to fight for everyone else, people you haven't even met, but you won't even try to fight for yourself?"

Clint was always great at asking just the right questions and leaving Steve utterly unable to answer them.

〖 〗

"Do I _have_ to?"

"Yes,"

Resisting the urge to kick the ground like a child, Steve slumped towards Natasha's room. The two hadn't spoken since the failed intervention. That was four days ago. Clint was determined however for peace to return between his girlfriend and best friend.

Steve turned back to look at his friend, blue eyes pleading. _But she's scary!_

Clint just gestured to the door. "She's the ruler of the house, and rulers demand tribute. In our case she wants a tribute of our crying and near dead male dignity."

Well _that_ was reassuring.

Steve meekly knocked on the door and slunk inside when he heard Natasha grunt. She was sitting at her desk, typing away at her laptop. Her eyes flickered up to Steve as he shuffled in the doorway.

"What?"

He took a deep breath. "I need your help,"

To anyone who didn't know her, Natasha's expression didn't change but Steve could see her gaze soften.

"Fine, but you have to do what I tell you."

"OK,"

"Go clean the kitchen."

"…"

Natasha looked up from her keyboard. "Did I stutter?"

No, that was _not_ a squeak that left Steve's mouth. "Yes ma'am!"

She didn't smile affectionately until Steve had closed the door behind himself.

〖 〗

Of course they were back in the bar. They were there practically every night.

However, Steve knew something was going to happen tonight. He could feel it in the air, like a charge. Personally, he thought it was a sign. Since Peggy died, Steve had neglected his faith, which had been unshakable since he was a child. But since he'd broken down emotionally and asked his friends for help, he was surprised when they all told him to go back to church.

"But, you guys always made fun of me…"

"Friends are supposed to be mean, it shows that we care." Clint had replied without looking away from his game of _COD_.

"I mock it because it is false, YOU HAVE A GOD STANDING BEFORE YOU AND YET YOU'RE STILL A NON-BELIEVER."

"Nobody cares, Thor," The sound of some poor bastard dying on-screen had punctured Clint's remark and Thor's guffawing.

So Steve had started praying again. His repaired relationship with God had been having a positive effect on his mental state, and he was equally taken aback to find Natasha being the most vocal supporter of it.

"If it makes you feel like someone's looking out for you, I can't judge you for that," is what she had said.

So Steve had been praying. _Please God, just give me a sign. Show me that there's still a reason for me to wake up in the morning._

Steve felt God in the air tonight, and he sure got a sign although he didn't know it at the time.

Because that's when Bruce walked in, but he wasn't alone.

"Evening everyone,"

"BRUCE. I HAVE DEARLY LAMENTED OVER YOUR ABSENCE. COME, SIT WITH ME."

Bruce sighed and gestured to someone beside him.

"Everyone, this is Tony Stark. He's the man who bought out the company I work for,"

Tony had already gotten the waitress' attention and was ordering a gin and tonic, and he wanted her to hold the tonic.

"'Sup bro?" Clint said, lips at his beer.

Natasha just nodded at him. Bruce shoved a hot wing in Thor's face before he could begin a long-winded speech. Steve just looked this Mr. Stark over.

His pin striped suit was black and expertly tailored for him that it seemed like he was born in the suit. Everything about this man screamed performance and style, something a simple guy like Steve just couldn't comprehend. Tony felt eyes on him, and looked apathetically at Steve over the lenses of his dark purple sunglasses.

"Looking's free, touching will cost you,"

Steve hoped that this wasn't what God had in mind.

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_Disclaimer_: Used a rant from "Scrubs" slightly verbatim because it was perfect. Kudos to you if you recognize it.


	2. Chapter 2

_Author's Note_: Thank you SO much for the reviews, favorites, and follows guys! Since I'm a new member this immediate response was just awesome! Also, if you reviewed, THANK YOU. I'm still trying to figure out how to reply to them since FF changed their layout from the last time I was a member. Every time I go to reply to one it takes me to the personal message page or if that's how they're doing it now that's cool. So I apologize if you reviewed and get duplicate messages or something. I'm still trying to figure it out. Well, other then that please enjoy chapter 2!

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Tony Stark was many things.

Egotistical, narcissistic, volatile, self-centered, charming-

Whoa Steve, whoa.

It had been two weeks since the group of friends had been introduced to Tony Stark that dim, crowded evening at the bar. Ever since then he was at the bar with them every night. And _everyone_ **loved** him.

"Why do you keep bringing this guy around? That's not like you," Steve asked Bruce one day over lunch.

The scientist shrugged. "He's moving here for a few months while he reorganizes the company, and I kind of felt bad for the guy so I offered to show him around."

Steve stared at him. "He's the billionaire owner of _the_ biggest weapon's company in America; you really think he needs _your _help?"

Bruce shrugged, Steve went slack jawed. "Oh my God, you _like_ him!"

The shorter man huffed. "He said he was very impressed with my work on gamma rays,"

"Slut," The ex-army captain couldn't help but smirk.

Bruce didn't say anything because if he did it would give their whole plan away.

〖 〗

"What's happen', Captain?"

Steve resisted the urge to groan as Tony sauntered into the apartment. "That door was locked…"

"What an astute observation," Tony jingled the keys in his hand. "Natasha gave me a key,"

_TRAITOR_.

"So," Steve coughed, uncomfortable.

"_So_ your status is 'unemployed' right now, correct?"

The blond threw a look at the wall that said '_are you kidding me?'_ as Tony walked into their kitchen like it was his own. Steve could hear cupboards opening and closing and then the tinkling of glass.

"I'm in between careers,"

"Oh, and would those careers would be moping in the apartment or walking down the flight of steps to the bar?"

"No!" Steve retorted. "I'm in between… erm having no job and having a job."

Tony leaned his hip against the room divider, appraising Steve's face like someone would a useless household appliance they were trying to decide whether it was worth it to buy. There was a glass in his hand.

"Is that Clint's scotch that his dad-"

"So, you're quite, uh, physically able," Tony walked over and poked Steve's bicep. "You know, from all of the killing people in the name of the government?"

_Said the guy who's trust fund was made from weapons of mass destruction_, Steve thought, flushing. "The Marines kept us on a tight regiment,"

"Ah," Tony took a sip of Clint's stolen scotch. There was a beat of silence. Steve focused on the paper in front of him, flipping through the help wanted ads. "Miss it?"

"Huh?"

"Do you miss being shot at?"

That was it. Steve could turn the other cheek about _anything_ else, but not this.

"You're not very good at hiding your condescension," He replied snidely.

"I'm always condescending, it just varies in degrees."

God, he couldn't even get away from this man in his own apartment. Steve couldn't pinpoint exactly why this man got so deep under his skin, but he did. "Don't talk about it,"

"What?" Tony gulped down half the glass.

"Don't talk about the Marines like that. Being a part of that was the best thing that ever happened to me, those guys were my family, and I don't have that anymore. If you want to shit all over us common folk then fine, but just-... not that."

Steve was expecting anything, but not what Tony said.

"Okay Steve,"

The blond looked over his shoulder, frowning. That was too easy. And was that the first time Tony had ever said his name? _Why_ was he noticing that?

Good thing he noticed small things about Tony, because the man in question was looking a little green.

"Ugh..."

"Oh sh-"

Steve practically _scooped_ Tony up into his arms and ran to the bathroom just in time for Tony to spew his guts into the toilet. He stayed beside the vomiting brunette; he had Tony's stylish glasses in one hand and rubbed the other man's back with the other.

While Steve's deepest thought on the situation was containing a sick Tony to the bathroom and running to the living room to clean up the broken glass from Tony's scotch, the billionaire in question couldn't keep himself from being hyper aware at Steve's close proximity.

Tony Stark was a charmer. It was practically his whole identity. He knew just exactly how to make a women blush, giggle, want him, kiss him, and sleep with him. Tony could deal out compliments like the IRS doled out audits, and he always got the results he desired. He had a way of staring at someone in way that said '_you_,' a look that made someone feel like they were the only person in the world that mattered.

Steve Rogers was the only person on the planet who could misinterpret or totally miss that look.

When he felt his stomach settle uncomfortably after heaving itself empty, Tony leaned back, Steve's hand still on his back. Tony looked around. "Where's my scotch?"

Steve groaned.

〖 〗

Thor was having a good day.

When he woke up that morning, he had found that he had programmed his coffee maker correctly the night before because when he stumbled out he could smell the fresh, hot brew. Unlike many others, Thor genuinely enjoyed his job. He was a high level executive at a pharmaceutical company (now named _Stark Laboratories_), along with his younger brother, and this was the same corporation that Bruce worked at as a researcher. Clint also worked there, in the legal department.

_Yes_, Thor thought to himself. He was quite fortunate in that area. He also found this morning that it was about to get better.

"STEVEN~"

The blue eyed blond waved half-heartily at his friend and smiled uncertainly. While Thor was dressed sharply in a black suit and red tie, Steve seemed out of place in his LiveStrong © running pants and Windrunner © jacket. Thor came skidding to a stop in front of him in the first floor front hall of the building, metaphorical tail wagging.

"While I am thrilled at your presence, I must question its intent."

It took Steve a full ten seconds to inwardly translate what his friend said. "Oh, uh, Tony offered me a job here."

Realization lit up in Thor's eyes. "Did Tony offer you the position of - what did he call it? - 'personal trainer'?"

Steve nodded.

Tony, for all of his personal failures, was an attentive employer. His newest investment, _Stark Laboratories_, was no exception. In the wake of the obesity and nutrition social revolutions, many companies were now providing their employees with free gym access within their buildings of employment.

Tony Stark, of course, had to go above and beyond the rest.

The basement level of the massive skyscraper had been rapidly redone. There was a large fitness floor complete with an alarming amount of strength-training and cardio equipment. There was also an in-door pool, ceiling suspended track, spa, and rooms for group classes.

Steve was now the over-seer of all of it. Tony seemed convinced that he was the best candidate for the job, and while Steve felt uncertain he never backed down from a challenge. He had also learned from the failed intervention not to scorn help when it was offered.

Thor was too overcome with excitement to say much more. In fact, he hastily bid his friend farewell - but he did order Steve to join him and the others for lunch - and _flew_ up to his floor.

"TONY. HOW YOU HAVE BRIGTHENED MY DAY~"

The CEO was slouched on his desk. "Well, my mere presence has been known to cause panties to spontaneously disappear so nothing would surprise me,"

Crossing the room in four long strides, Thor stopped in front of his new boss's desk and leaned uncomfortably close to the hung over brunette. Tony eyed the blond.

"I'm compelled to express my gratitude at your offer of employment to Steven," Thor said seriously. If it was anyone else Tony would have shoved them away and made some snarky retort, but there was a genuine tone to Thor's eyes and voice. "Even if he doesn't know it, I believe that this will greatly help his mental state."

Tony didn't let his reaction go past his own head. "You have coffee breath..."

Thor flashed him a grin in response. "You are following the plan quite precisely."

"A lot rides on it,"

"Indeed," Then there was a fire in Thor's eyes that would have caused anyone but Tony Stark to squeal girlishly and flee into the hills. "However, be warned. If you treat Steven maliciously or dishonestly, I will personally slay you."

"Take a little yellow pill and calm down, Mother."

〖 〗

His friends were acting strange.

Every night for the last week all but Tony had disappeared from their nightly bar gatherings. Thor claimed that he was busy with his brother, Clint and Natasha were off doing _couple things_ and Bruce used work as an excuse.

Therefore, Tony was the only one left. The two sat across from one another in their usual booth, Steve nursing one or two beers and Tony tossing back gin and scotch like it was water. Being alone with the other man made Steve edgy; he constantly fidgeted with his beer bottle and the gold watch on his wrist. Peggy had given it to him for their first anniversary...

"No man should look sad in a bar full of beautiful women," Tony remarked, eyeing a gaggle of giggling girls at the bar.

"I wasn't sad,"

"So that look of constant despondence is _completely_ natural?"

Steve responded with a weak glare, but it melted away just as quickly as it came. Ever since their conversation in the apartment that ended with Tony throwing up in the bathroom, the two men had somehow reached a pleasant point in their relationship. However, there were many times in their interactions where Steve was left absolutely stumped.

For instance, Tony constantly insisted that the two of them sit next to one another. Whether that be in the bar booth, a cab, or the couch at Clint and Natasha's apartment the two were attached at the hip. Abnormally attached at the hip.

Ever since Steve had accepted Tony's job offer, the two had been spending a lot of time with one another. Tony was always inviting him out to expensive dinners (and always picking up the check no matter how violently Steve protested), buying tickets to plays and shows and taking Steve with him, or just barging into the apartment when Natasha and Clint were out.

It's not like Steve _disliked_ all of the time they spent together, in fact he quite looked forward to it. But sometimes he wasn't sure if it was _just_ in a friendly way.

Clint had already commented that they were basically in a relationship without the sex. "But," He had added on after a beat of silence and turned to look at Steve with waggling eyebrows. "That can be easily fixed."

"I'm not gay," Steve had retorted shortly.

"Neither's Tony, it's called being bi-sexual. God Steve, get with the program,"

Steve had never really thought about his sexuality, he had always been attracted to women, but now he was beginning to doubt that was the _only_ gender he was attracted to. Tony was a very attractive man; he could admit that freely as most people would.

He had just never thought he could - _you know_ - with another man.

"Is my presence so overwhelming that you're blushing, Captain?"

No doubt his flush deepened. "It's just hot in here,"

"Well I have been in here for a while,"

Steve couldn't help his lips from quirking. "You're so stuck up,"

"Only because I have reasons to be,"

They fell back into a comfortable silence. Tony called out to the waitress for a rum and coke.

"Hey, can I ask you something?"

"You _may_,"

"Since you asked me why I'm sad, why are you?"

Tony stared at Steve for a long moment. "So you're admitting your sad?"

"You know why I am," Steve replied quietly. He couldn't say out loud that it was because his life's calling had been blown up by an IED or that the woman he loved had suffered an untimely death. "But why are you?"

Tony snorted, a smirk on his lips. "Why would _I_ be sad? I have everything anyone could ever hope for."

Steve stared at Tony significantly. "Tony... C'mon,"

When the hell did Steve Rogers get to know him so well?

Tony swirled his glass slowly while staring at the man across from him intently. Steve was the epitome of clueless. Even now he didn't realize that at _least_ half of the girls and one or two guys in the bar were undressing him with their eyes. He was sickeningly sweet; he had probably already given Tony diabetes.

What Tony hated and loved about Steve most was that he was a genuinely, unassuming, and wholly good guy. It intrigued and repulsed Tony all at once. In the cruel world today, there weren't many of Steve's breed around. It was the quality that drew all of the people in Steve's life too him.

However, his naivety from his goodness also made Tony cringe. Especially his naivety that applied to being completely _blind_ to the fact that Tony was basically courting him, it made his plans much harder.

It was getting so frustrating for all of them that Bruce was ready to explode and give it all away.

Oh yes, Tony had enlisted reinforcements for this.

"I like them together," Bruce had nodded sagely.

Clint's only input was, "Get him laid and out of my apartment."

Natasha was pretty much apathetic of the entire thing but she had told Tony in passing one night that if she screwed up he would wake up one morning and be missing an important part of his body.

Thor was entirely too enthusiastic about it.

Perhaps Steve was too dense for subtly? Tony decided he was going to change up his routine.

"Maybe I am sad," He leaned far forward, completely invading his companion's personal space. Steve raised an eyebrow. "But you could help me out with that."

Nodding seriously, Tony was oddly endeared to the honest way Steve seemed to be invested in his personal emotions. "Yeah, whatever I can do,"

Clint was completely accurate when he told Tony that Steve was the most helpful and self-destructive person he'd ever met.

"Go out with me,"

Steve promptly spewed his mouthful of beer all over Tony's shirt.

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	3. Chapter 3

_Author's Note_: Thank you guys for all of the reviews, favorites, and follows! This is the second to last part, so hopefully you guys will like it!

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Loki was quite fond of likening him and his brother to Don Quixote and Sancho Panza.

Guess who was who?

As the more rational and insightful of the two, Loki was generally the person in charge of taking care of his elder brother whenever he forced his way into a situation he had no business being in or a situation of utter stupidity.

Loki couldn't escape it. They lived a block away from one another, worked in the same building, and were forced to attend weekly family therapy meetings with their parents.

Because of his brother, Loki had found himself in various situations ranging from "_Oh Dear God we're going to die_" to "_How_ _the hell were you not swallowed at birth_?"

This was, however, was so utterly stupid that Loki felt his brain cells dying off one by one.

"PSST. Loki, I've regained sight of them!"

_Oh joy, _"Thor, I really don't think that-"

"IT IS THE CODE OF BROS."

Cue the heavy sighing and feelings of desolate resignation.

Loki had been looking forward to a quiet night at home, a good glass of wine on his couch with his cat and a marathon of "Restaurant Impossible." However, his boisterous brother had come bursting into his flat like Genghis Kahn conquering Siberia.

"MY BROTHER, COME. I HAVE A QUEST FOR US."

Somewhere, the gods were laughing at him.

Now Loki found himself at that expensive Italian restaurant on Ninth Street with the romantic string lights along the paneling and he was here with his _brother_ spying on two _men_.

"Gaze upon them Loki, observe the pure joy in their looks!"

"Brother, Tony is busy tweeting on his phone and Steve looks quite ready to run away."

"NOW THAT IS JUST-"

Loki shushed him. "'Inside voice'," He hissed.

Thor nodded, leaning forward so he could whisper. "I must disagree with you; I believe this date will end quite well."

Their waitress appeared just then. "Thank you for choosing to dine with us this evening. Are you celebrating an anniversary?"

Loki face palmed.

〖 〗

Despite Thor's optimistic hope, Loki's observations were completely valid.

The entire date thus far had been entirely awkward.

Mostly because when Tony asked him out, Steve had sputtered some apology after spewing beer all over him and sprinted back upstairs to the apartment and hid in his room for the rest of the night.

He shame ate an entire pizza before Clint kicked the door down.

After his friends cornered him, he finally called Tony and accepted the offer.

Not even sure if he was even _attracted _to men, Steve let Natasha and Thor dress him like he was a child again. His anxiety spiked, and his racing mind merged the possible scenarios of the night with his memories of his war tours.

When Tony showed up at the apartment for him, Steve felt like he was sixteen years old again going to prom with the girl next girl that his mom had forced him to go with. His palms were sweaty, his heart was racing, and he couldn't stop fidgeting. It had been an act of God that he had stopped stuttering long enough to tell Peggy his name when they first met.

Steve could barely talk to _women_. How the hell was he supposed to talk to _men_ like _that_?

Now here they were after a tense and silent car ride to this way too nice of a restaurant for a simple guy like Steve.

Tony finished his tweet and stared at Steve for a moment. "God, could you look _any more_ like an awkward, fat tween on their first date?"

Blue eyes narrowed. "Not all of us are playboys like you," Steve paused for a moment. "Actually, how _much_ of a playboy are you?"

"Hugh Hefner took the lead from me,"

"Okay, that timeline doesn't even make sense-"

"Steve," The ex-soldier sat upright at attention. "It's just me here, alright? Relax,"

"Okay..."

There was a beat of comfortable silence between them as Steve looked over the menu.

"So did the military not ask and you didn't tell, or am I just that special?"

Steve's knees jerked into the table.

〖 〗

"See, Brother? Look how they are enjoying one another's company."

"Thor, I just want to enjoy my penne vodka," _especially since I subtly gave the waitress a fifty for extra vodka_.

Thor made a noise that can only be labeled as a _dreamy sigh_. "Blossoming love, what a beautiful thing,"

"How peculiar, it's as if I'm speaking to a pubescent highschool female in a professional wrestler's body,"

"Just gaze upon them! The All-Father himself could not have created a more perfect couple!"

"Please leave Father out of this and _attempt_ to control your estrogen levels,"

The restaurant was rather empty when Loki and Thor were seated at a table out of sight of the two men. Now, there were no empty tables. Like most high end restaurants, this one attempted to make it casual and upscale all at once. The tables were rather small and made of intricate, white metal and the seating was rather close. Various snippets of other people's conversations and laughter echoed throughout the room.

"Oh dear,"

Loki looked up when he heard a worried undertone in his elder brother's voice. Following his line of sight, Loki could see that Steve had gone rigid. His hands were balled into fists on his legs, and his foot was tapping incessantly. Tony was blabbering on about something to the waitress and didn't seem to notice.

Steve looked ready to _explode_.

Loki ate another fork full of pasta just as the blond haired man roughly stood to his feet, stammering some sort of half worded apology and running out of the restaurant as carefully and gracefully as a drunken fat man attempting to perform _The Nutcracker_.

"Oh well that was interesting," Loki leaned back in his chair and sipped at his wine.

"DAMN IT BROTHER," Thor knocked the glass out of Loki's hand. "DAMN IT ANTHONY,"

"This is why Father forbids us from owning expensive items,"

〖 〗

"That could have, admittedly, gone better."

"Really Tony? If he had proposed to you on the spot would you have noticed or would you be too busy motor-boating the bartender?"

"Clint there are a lot of holes in that theory. For instance if the bartender was a man-"

"You're _bi_ Tony!"

"But guys with man-boobs aren't my type,"

Natasha, who had been busy preparing dinner, threw her knife at the wall. "TONY."

"Are they always like this?" Loki asked his brother, his meal in a to-go paper bag and a half empty bottle of wine in the other.

"Only during times of high stress. Midgardians are quite volatile at times,"

"FOCUS THOR."

Bruce was standing out in the hall. "Have they stopped yelling yet?" He called through the door.

"Nope,"

"Yeah, I'm just going to wait out here until it calms down. Me having an 'episode' and breaking everything in the apartment won't positively impact the situation."

Natasha was raging; she still looked terrifying even while wearing a frilly apron that Thor had gotten her last Christmas as a gag gift. "He has Post-Traumatic-Stress Disorder and you took him to a _crowded_, _tightly packed_, _loud_ restaurant when he was already stressed out?"

"My God, she _is_ human," Steve whispered to Clint who wisely put at least two feet between them.

Loki reasoned that the others were more emotionally compromised then they would be if they could actually _locate_ Steve. However, after he had ran out of the restaurant, he had turned off his mobile phone and no one could find him.

They all mutually agreed it was Tony's fault.

The guilty party was busy picking his ear and sipping on a gin and tonic. Natasha wrestled the glass from his hand. "Could you at _least_ act concerned?"

"Sweetheart, you're doing that enough for the both of us,"

Her face almost turned as red as her hair. Clint was quickly cataloging a list of possible escape routes, Thor was looking pointedly at Tony, and Loki was watching it all unfold like he was at home on his couch watching "Grey's Anatomy."

"Why did you tell us you liked him when you're acting like he's just another notch in the bed post?" She asked icily.

Tony clenched his jaw. "I'm treating him like an adult, unlike _you _people."

Natasha's lip curled over her teeth. "We're his _friends_, we care about him and have taken care of him since-"

"You treat him like a child," Tony cut her off and rose to his feet, staring into Natasha's eyes evenly. "He's an adult capable of making his own decisions and can _definitely _handle himself."

"He's not right-"

"What? In the head? We all got our shit, maybe if you stop smothering him and let him breathe then he'd be able to get better. The truth is, honey, you _don't _want him to get better. You all _like _having him like this so you can validate yourselves and pat yourselves on the back for taking care of the wounded veteran."

A tense silence settled over the group, until Loki made a noise in the back of his throat.

"This is exciting!"

"BROTHER, THIS IS NOT THE APPORPRIATE PLACE."

Shit decided right then to hit the fan when Bruce shouted "I can't take it anymore!" and broke down the door to tackle Tony into the coffee table.

〖 〗

Steve not only felt awful about leaving Tony at the restaurant, but also for his psychiatrist who he called frantically in the middle of the night and proceeded to freak out to in her living room until two in the morning.

It had been productive in some sense.

"Do you think you're bisexual?"

He had shrugged helplessly at her question. "I would rather deal with the flashbacks right now,"

"Steve, you have to be completely honest and love yourself for who you are."

"S-Sure, but what does that have to do with my PTSD?"

"Everything's connected Steve, it all matters."

When he finally left the poor woman's house, he didn't go back to the apartment. He didn't think he had the patience or mental ability to answer Natasha's questions or handle Clint's unblinking stares. That's how he found himself in the gym of _Stark Laboratories_ at five a.m.

Nothing to ease the stress of a PTSD attack or re-discovering your sexual orientation like beating the hell out of a bag of sand. Steve wrapped his hands and thought over how his 'date' had gone up until the moment his flashbacks had taken over.

Tony was…. well, himself. He was self-involved, emotionally closed off, and sarcastic with anything he didn't immediately find amusing. However, he was charming in his own way. Steve groaned, how many drunk and floozy girls had thought that before they let Tony Stark lure them to his bedroom. Steve blushed at the thought of letting himself be led there.

The only real fault that he could find was that Tony wasn't observant enough of him to notice the attack coming on. Steve's rational side felt he was being slightly unreasonable, it's not like Tony was a trained mental health professional but he couldn't just shake the feeling of disappointment that he wasn't _important _enough to have been paid attention to.

In all honesty why was Tony – the guy who had everything – interested in Steve, the guy with nothing?

Steve didn't realize he had punched the bag so hard until he heard a snap and the bag fell to the floor with a loud _thud_.

"If you're going to be awake at this hour, there's only one physical activity you should be doing,"

He couldn't stop the blush from creeping up his neck at the innuendo in Tony's voice. Wiping at the sweat on his forehead, he turned slowly to see the other man leaning his hip against the door jamb. His lip was bloody and his usually put-together suit was disheveled and wrinkled.

"What happened?" Steve asked worriedly as he walked over to Tony. "Are you OK?"

Tony shrugged dismissively. "Bruce and I had a disagreement that ended in a physical interpretation of our view points,"

"You got into a fight with Bruce?" Tony didn't reply and Steve only felt a little bad for the grin that crept onto his face. "That wasn't a very good idea on your part,"

"I think I figured that out in between when he threw me onto the coffee table and when lifted me into the air and tossed me into the hall,"

Steve frowned, a tiny crease forming between his eyebrows. Tony wanted to throttle him, he shouldn't look so adorable when he was worried – Slow down Stark, don't go all soft served. Well, it's not like it really mattered. He could ogle and drool over Steve all he wanted and the idiot wouldn't even realize it. He'd already tested that theory when they first met and everyone but Steve had noticed him checking out the captain's ass.

"So was it the waitress' horrible service that finally made the evening completely unbearable? Or was it the wine? I asked for the oldest year but clearly it would have been able to order a glass itself,"

Steve stared at his hands as he unwrapped the white bandages from his knuckles. "I-I should apologize for that,"

"More so to the waitress who practically fainted."

"I'm being serious here, alright?"

Tony had a really hard time keeping his mouth shut, mostly because he was afraid that this entire situation was spiraling out of his control. When Bruce had brought him to the bar that first night, he felt like he was a teenager is some crappy romantic comedy. Steve had been the first person he'd noticed and he hadn't considered anyone else since.

The Stark heir had discovered in his early twenties that he didn't really care if the person was male or female; he was a hedonistic guy so as long as he was enjoying himself that was all that mattered. Having a warm body next to him filled a hole in his chest that had been there since childhood, gender seemed inconsequential. However, despite this need for companionship, Tony Stark was the poster boy for anti-commitment. He'd stay with a person until they bored him and then he would move on.

But he couldn't bring himself to move on from Steve Rogers. _And they hadn't even slept together yet!_

Was it because Steve was one of those beautiful people who didn't realize they that they were? Or was it cliché to think that Tony found the ex-Marine captain endearing because he _wasn't_ tripping over himself in Tony's presence like everyone else? Simplicity was usually a turn off, but Steve seemed to make simple intricate. Or was it because Steve had been the first person to actually _see_ Tony?

"_You know why I am, but why are you?"_

"Alright look, I'm still trying to deal with these flashbacks and I'm stressed _all the time_ so I'm sorry that I did that because I think I'm coming to terms with myself and I really had a nice time and-"

"So you _are_ attracted to me?" Tony couldn't stop himself.

Steve punched him in the shoulder despite the color that flooded to his cheeks. "Shut up,"

"I think someone likes me~"

"Tony-"

"Someone thinks I'm ruggedly handsome,"

"I'm ser-"

"You want to kiss me~"

Steve did kiss him; it was mostly to shut him up. But then he must have channeled his inner-Bruce because he hoisted the shorter man over his shoulder and tossed him out of the gym.

〖 〗

"Why are you smiling like that?" Clint asked as he looked up from his cereal, suspicious.

Steve was practically _glowing_. "Hm?"

Clint narrowed his eyes. He had seen that look before…

"Did you _get some_?"

Cue the blush. "Psh-no! I mean-"

"I APPROVE~"

Natasha leaned out of her room. "Clint what-"

"STEVE AND TONY, KISSING IN A TREE, K-I-S-S-"

Just at that moment Thor burst through the door with Bruce in resigned tow. "OUR PLAN WORKED, CLINT. ANTHONY HAS MADE IT 'OFFICIAL' ON THE 'BOOK OF FACE'."

"I'm really happy for you, buddy," Bruce calmly walked around the loud blond and pat Steve on the shoulder good naturedly. "Did Tony seem alright after I… well, you know?"

"Yeah, he's fine."

"DID YOU NURSE HIM BACK TO HEALTH?"

"CLINT, LEAVE STEVE ALONE."

"BUT TASHA-"

"LET US CELEBRATE WITH JEST AND MEAD. TO THE BAR~"

Steve face palmed.

.

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	4. Chapter 4

_Author's_ Note: We have reached the end! You guys have all been great supporters and I only hope that this lives up to your expectations!

.

.

"Tony, you're already an hour late,"

"I'm quite aware of that, Miss Potts."

Pepper Potts concentrated on breathing evenly and smoothly, reciting the calming methods in her worn Zen book. It seemed like ages ago when she was applied for the job; it was difficult to even remember a time when she _didn't_ know Tony Stark. He had that ability though. Tony was the type of person whose larger than life personality would squeeze and shove its way into your life whether you wanted him to or not.

"Could you at least reply to Steve's texts? Since you're not answering he keeps-" Her phone beeped. "… texting me."

"I am unable to acquiesce your request,"

"Don't quote 'Pirates of the Caribbean.'"

"But that Sparrow fellow is a man after my own heart,"

The young woman was unsure how far to push her boss today. There were only two dates out of the year that Tony was more snarky and unreachable than usual. They were the anniversary of his parents' death and Father's Day.

Tony's feelings about his father were complicated at best.

"Steve says Thor is on his way here to get you,"

"Release the hounds,"

〖 〗

"Can we stop for wine?"

"No,"

Tony whined. "But _Steve-_"

"No, Thor's parents were nice enough to invite all of us to their house for dinner. We don't need your second significant other 'Mr. Alcoholic' stopping by."

Tony squirmed, not used to being in the passenger seat. "Why couldn't I drive?"

Steve sighed. "Because they're serving drinks with dinner,"

"I could be the DD-"

Steve snorted. "Yeah right,"

"-_if _you had asked."

The two men were in Steve's beat up Ford pick-up truck that had been his dad's first car. It rumbled and stank of gasoline, but Steve couldn't help but feel a sense of emotional connection to the vehicle, especially today of all days.

His 'better half,' on the other hand, was more sullen than usual. Pepper had seemed slightly haggard when Thor and Steve went to the man's penthouse to force him out. The blond had smiled politely at her.

"Take special care of him today,"

Steve frowned, wondering what she had meant by that. He glanced at Tony out of the corner of his eye. The brunette was slouched in the seat, face cradled in his hand as he stared angrily out the window. Steve felt his heart beat a little faster and his gut tighten with worry.

"Tony-"

"I'd rather not talk right now." He interrupted shortly. "I think the noxious cloud spewing from your tail pipe is making me sick,"

Steve clenched his jaw. "There's some gum in the glove compartment," He spoke slowly. "Chew a piece, it helps with motion sickness."

"I don't have motion sickness, my lungs just don't agree with poisonous fumes." However, he snappily reached into the glove compartment to pull out the packet. "I hate spearmint…"

Steve resisted the urge to slam on the brakes and smash his boyfriend's head into the windshield by gripping the steering wheel tightly. "I'm sorry," He ground out. What the hell was he apologizing for?

The last six months had been… well, Steve wasn't sure if there was a word in the English language to accurately describe the complexities of their relationship. There were moments where Steve was so content that he couldn't imagine a time when he wasn't with Tony.

And then there were times when he wanted to snap that little bitch's neck.

Tony had moments where he could leave Steve speechless with his heart in his throat and then he left Steve shaking in absolute rage in other moments. He had a feeling tonight was going to turn into one of the rage moments.

"Can you at least act nice in front of Thor's family?"

"But I was looking forward to mocking a pair of people who _legitimately _think that they're theological figures. Plus, aren't you _dying_to know how Thor ended up like – well, himself?"

While that was true, it wasn't the point Steve was making. "If you promise to play nice we can have car sex on the way home,"

"I'm not in the mood,"

Steve did violently pull off onto the side of the road then, Tony letting out half formed sentences as the truck came to a full rocking stop. Looking over to stare slack jawed at his boyfriend, Tony blinked behind skewed glasses. Steve stared hard at him.

"Alright, what's wrong with you?"

"What?"

"You're never _not_ in the mood for car sex! Or any type of sex!"

Tony shrugged. "Well that's a valid point," He fixed his glasses and stared at his boyfriend coolly. "We're going to be late,"

"You already made us late," Steve sighed and shrugged helplessly. "Why don't you ever talk to me?"

"Right now I'm making sounds and forming vowels and consonances with my lips, tongue and teeth to form words. If you put those in a sequence they form a sentence, which _is_, in fact, talking."

Steve didn't know what else to do at this point. Was it that Tony didn't trust him? He kept everyone at arm's length, even Pepper, and Steve honestly thought that she knew everything. Tony, through all of his playboy bravado, was always there when Steve really did need him. Steve felt this was the moment where Tony needed _him_ now.

Taking in a deep breath, Steve pushed down all of his insecurities and pulled back onto the road.

"That's it?" Tony asked, eyes narrowing uncertainly.

"If you don't want to talk about it, then I'm not going to make you." _I learned that lesson when I kept badgering you and you threw your bottle of Jack Daniels at my head_. "But if you want to, then I will listen." _I gave up a while ago trying to read your mind_.

"I'm revoking your male privileges after that girly speech,"

〖 〗

Tony detested Father's Day.

Every year he refused to leave his house as a precaution and locked himself in his work room and cranked up Black Sabbath in order to drown out his own thoughts. He wouldn't even talk to Pepper, she just left his meals in front of the door and returned later to pick up the abandoned and half empty plates.

Spending it with his boyfriend and Thor and his family wasn't the ideal, but all of the strong Nordic beer was helping.

He was also stuck next to Thor's younger brother, who was the only person in the room who was as bitter and sarcastic as himself.

"AND THAT WAS HOW MY FATHER AND I DEFEATED THE DWELLERS OF THE COTTAGE ACROSS THE WAY,"

Loki rubbed at his temples. "Thor, you threw their cat through their window,"

"THAT IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU SLIGHT THE WARRIOR."

"The neighbor-boy sprayed the dog with _water_,"

"IT WAS _MY _DOG, LOKI. THAT IS THE MATERIAL POINT."

Thor's mother was a graceful woman who took her eldest's loud and boisterous personality with serenity and her younger son's acrimony with gentleness. Their father was an older man with a hard face but soft way of speaking. Tony kept himself distracted by his own inner turmoil and the way Steve hadn't even glanced at him since they sat down by trying to figure out the family dynamics.

"So Loki I hear that you're not their real son?"

Steve choked on his drink. Clint stared slack jawed and Natasha's manicured nails drummed against the handle of her steak knife. Bruce looked pointedly at his steak and complimented Frigga.

"ANTHONY-!"

"-really good steak, ma'am."

"I'VE COME TO TERMS WITH IT, THANK YOU FOR YOUR INQUIRY."

Steve glared at him; well at least he was looking at him. "Tony," He hissed. "What is the matter with you?"

"I'm sorry, if it was such a secret then why is Thor always referring to Loki as 'my brother who so happens to have been given actual birth by a mother not my own but he is still my real brother'?"

The evening didn't recover after that since Loki lunged at Thor with his fork and tried to choke him with his napkin.

The car ride back to the city was tense.

"Is that offer for car sex still there?"

Well, for Steve it was tense.

"Not on your life," He ground out.

"Oh don't pout,"

"I am _not _pouting, don't you try to devalue my feelings right now."

Steve prayed to _God_ that Tony would not needle him right now. The blond had never been so embarrassed in his life. This was worse than the time Bucky had made him ride the roller coaster at Coney Island and he had puked all over himself. "We just ruined their holiday,"

"Father's Day is barely a holiday, and it's destined to be ruined."

He couldn't take it anymore. "No, Tony _you _have issues with your father and it's not your place to shove it in everyone's faces and ruin a perfectly nice evening!"

Once he exhaled sharply through his nostrils Steve turned to look at the other man and felt a pang of regret for saying that out loud. Tony's face was eerily blank, and his tie was loose around his neck. Overall he looked exhausted and as emotionally devastated as he was ever going to look.

Steve bit his lip. "Tony, gosh, I-"

"You meant what you said or you wouldn't have said it," Tony replied blithely; however there was a sting to his words.

Sighing, Steve kept his eyes glued to the road. He was still furious at Tony, no matter what issues you had in your life it was no excuse to act rude, particularly when a friend like Thor extended the invitation to them.

Tony didn't talk to Steve after that. After about a week after not hearing from his boyfriend, the blond got worried.

"I think he's going to dump me," He moaned one night at the bar.

"NO, I WILL NOT BE PLEASED IF THAT TRANSPIRES."

Steve was honestly surprised that Thor was still speaking to him. After the horrifying Father's Day fiasco that had left Loki on an indefinite leave of absence while he was 'on vacation,' he thought Thor would have been outraged. However, he was a good natured and supportive friend. Steve had realized just how lucky he was to have him around.

"I'm sure he just needs some time to cool off," Natasha reassured coolly as she swirled her glass of wine.

"You should surprise him," Clint nodded sagely.

"With what?"

"Surprise sex? D_u_h,"

"For someone in a heterosexual relationship you are very invested in the homosexual relations around you," Bruce noted with a smile.

Clint made a face at him. "Tony's kind of a whore," He pat Steve's hand. "No offense buddy,"

"None taken," _It's true._

"Of course it is. Since he's a whore, he's a physical guy. Hence," He clapped his hands together. "Sex is the language he understands."

"Now that's an underestimation of my abilities, I also understand alcohol and gambling quite fluently,"

Thor choked on his beer when Tony appeared out of nowhere. Steve felt his heart bang uncomfortably in his chest, and his stomach churned with nerves. Tony's face was uncharacteristically blank, it was a poker face. Steve's feet and fingertips went cold. Their relationship was anything but simple but Steve-

Well they hadn't exchanged 'I love you-s' yet, but Steve felt the familiar squeeze of love in his chest and breath leave his lungs in a rush whenever Tony got close to him.

"Can we step outside?" He was addressing himself only to Steve.

"U-Um, yeah…" He glanced at his friends, panicked. They all smiled reassuringly at him, except Natasha and Clint. She was staring stonily at him and Clint kept mouthing 'S-E-X' at him and giving him obnoxious seducing glances. Trying to talk himself out of throwing up everywhere out of pure nerves, Steve quietly followed his boyfriend outside.

They walked upstairs to the apartment. A cold sweat broke out on Steve's forehead. It was a classic move for a person wanting to end a relationship to do it in the other person's apartment so that the dump-er could leave. Steve fiddled with his keys as he stared at Tony in the middle of his apartment. Even the walls couldn't seem to contain him.

"Steve-"

"ARE YOU BREAKING UP WITH ME?"

Tony frowned at the blond. "Wha-?"

"Tony, I know that we're not what people would call a 'great couple.' You have the emotional maturity of a seven year old and I still really can't be in loud, crowded places. Sometimes I over analyze things you say to me because I'm afraid that one day you're going to wake up and realize that I'm really boring and simple and you're stylish and a playboy and that you miss it. I feel pathetic because I feel like I need you _way_ more than you need me and I really just care about you OK?"

The blond inhaled deeply after that long tangent. His face had never felt so hot and a pause in conversation had never seemed so long. He watched Tony anxiously. The billionaire looked completely taken aback, his expression rivaled that of someone who had just been slapped in the face.

"… I just wanted to come up here and get my jacket that I forgot last week and ask you where you wanted to go get dinner."

Well.

This was awkward.

"You're such a jackass!" Steve grabbed the offending article of clothing from the hook by the door and threw it at Tony. "You don't call me for a week after a fight and _expect_ me to act like everything's OK?"

"You care about me, so everything _is_ OK, isn't it?"

Steve felt like he had reached his limit. "Do you?"

Tony fiddled with his watch. "Do I what?"

"Care about me too?"

Tony idly pulled out his phone and flipped it between his hands, as if he needed it to distract him. "Move in with me,"

Steve gaped. "What?"

"Move in with me," Tony enunciated slowly. "Does that answer your question?"

Tony Stark was not the type of man to say 'I love you' just because someone said it to him. Hell, he had once told Steve that his own father had never said it to him so Steve assumed he didn't know _how_ to. He was never going to be the guy who talks openly about his feelings or even admit to _feeling_ them sometimes. But that was OK, because Steve didn't need someone to profess to him all the time. He just needed to be given some sort of sign.

It was a well known fact on the aristocratic and tabloid circuit that none of Tony's previous lovers had ever been asked to move into the exclusive penthouse apartment in _Stark Tower_.

〖 〗

Clint sighed and surveyed the decidedly emptier apartment. "My little Steve is growing up~"

"Shut up," The other laughed, cradling the last box under his arm.

The two friends stood side-by-side, looking at the apartment that they had shared for the last year. Steve couldn't really believe that he was finally moving out. When he had brought that first box in, he had been hopeless and the light at the end of the tunnel was gone. But now…

"Steve, Natasha said that she's going to stab me in the thigh if you two don't get downstairs," Tony said from the doorway.

Steve smiled. "I'm coming,"

Tony frowned. "Stop smiling like that, it's all tender and gooey. It makes me feel gross,"

Clint snorted. "Come on,"

The three headed downstairs to the bar. The others were all gathered in their normal booth, and Thor waved them over enthusiastically.

"WHAT A GLORIOUS DAY, STEVEN AND ANTHONY ARE ONE STEP CLOSER TOWARD COMMITTED MONOGOMAY."

"Well, I think some gratitude is in order," Natasha said.

"Yes, since I'm the one who introduced them."

The couple glared at Bruce. "We let him live with us, eat our food, and stayed up with him through the nightmares."

"I found the love of his life," Bruce shrugged as he held up his glass. "So I win."

"So should we expect an announcement of a certain engagement soon?" Clint asked while waggling his eyebrows.

"Could say the same of you two," Tony quipped. "How long have you two been together? A decade?"

"Natasha doesn't believe in marriage,"

"Maybe she doesn't believe in getting married _to you_,"

"Tony…"

"It's a plausible hypothesis,"

Steve looked around the booth. His friends had been there for him through thick and thin, even if they never really said anything outright. Clint had been unwavering, and he had always been able to do something amazing when Steve was down. He could make him laugh. Natasha was more reserved, but if Steve had a problem she was always there with a word of advice. Bruce was great at reading his mind, he always knew when Steve needed to hear something and when he just needed to be left alone. And Thor was… well himself. He was loud and boisterous but he genuinely always went out of his way to help him.

And then there was Tony. He could never tell him this, but he was everything Steve wanted and needed.

Steve took a sip of his beer. He was going to be OK.

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End file.
